At least 10 inmates and a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Officer were killed by gunmen suspected to be members of Ansaru terrorists group during an attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The gunmen had used bombs to forcibly gain control of all entry and exit points of the facility on Tuesday and released over 855 inmates including their members.

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported that the facility was under attack by gunmen.
A source said that the terrorists invaded the facility around 9:05pm and operated till 1:30am on Wednesday morning.
“About ten of the inmates were killed during the attack, a Civil Defence official was also confirmed dead. Some of the inmates sustained injuries as well, everywhere is calm now,” a top prison official told SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters also learnt that other inmates had been removed from the facility including the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, who was remanded at the prison by a Federal High Court.
Kyari is standing trial for allegedly dealing in cocaine alongside four members of his former police unit, the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year.
Gunmen suspected to be terrorists on Tuesday night attacked the prison facility in Nigeria's capital city, and SaharaReporters learnt that the facility was ruined by the heavy firepower brought by the assailants.
Kuje prison was established in 1989, it has minimum and maximum holding cells where inmates are incarcerated.
It is famous for holding high-profile offenders, including former governors and ministers.
This is not the first time gunmen will attack correctional centres in the country, releasing inmates while killing some security officials.
In October, 2021, over 800 prisoners were freed when gunmen attacked a correctional facility in Oyo State.
The jail attack in Oyo followed similar attacks in Imo state in April 2021 where more than 1,800 inmates were freed, while another 266 prisoners were forcibly released in Kogi state in September same year.

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The Jamar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan popularly known as Ansaru terrorists were responsible for the attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital, multiple security sources have told SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported that the facility was under attack by gunmen.

According to one of the sources, the terrorists invaded the facility around 9:05 pm and operated till 1:30am on Wednesday morning.
He added that over 800 inmates including terrorists escaped during the attack by gunmen.

WATCH: Aftermath Of Terrorists Attack On Kuje Prison Where Hundreds Of Boko Haram Members Were Freed In Nigeria’s Capital, Abuja pic.twitter.com/zWzMfDjVdP

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 6, 2022
The source further said over 500 Ansaru, Boko Haram members and killer Fulani herdsmen were released.
“Out of 1005 inmates, only 150 or thereabout didn’t escape. Though everywhere is calm now and some inmates have started coming back.
“Against some media reports, Nyame, Kyari, Dariye and Wadume are still around. 
“The attack was carried out by the bandits affiliate of Ansaru, they removed all their members and that of Boko Haram in the prison. Also all the Fulani boys accused of killing people were released, over 500 terrorists. They all escaped,” the top source revealed. 

PHOTONEWS: Scene Of Terrorists Attack On Kuje Prison In Abuja, Hundreds Of Boko Haram Members Freed pic.twitter.com/jkWKazonVF

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 6, 2022
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said none of the Boko Haram suspects detained at Kuje prison in Abuja was found after the attack on the facilities on Tuesday night.

Addressing journalists after taking an assessment tour of the facility, the minister said, “The attack started around 10:30pm. They came in their numbers gained entrance into the prison and they released some of the inmates and which we are now following to see the kind of inmates that they have released.
“Very soon, we will give you the correct figure of the inmates that were taken. Aside that, we are trying to see what we can do to ensure that all escapees are returned back.
“The prison is accommodating about 994 inmates and over 600 escaped. Many people have been recaptured and brought back to the prison. Maybe by the close of the day, more will have been captured and returned.
“I think everything is under control. The people who came to do this activity, from the records, we believe they belong to a particular group. Most likely, they are Boko Haram members because we have sizeable number of Boko Haram suspects in detention, and presently we cannot locate any of them.
“I think they are about 64 in the prison and none of them now is available they have all escaped.”

SaharaReporters also learnt that other inmates had been removed from the facility including the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, who was remanded at the prison by a Federal High Court.
Kyari is standing trial for allegedly dealing in cocaine alongside four members of his former police unit, the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year. 
Gunmen suspected to be terrorists on Tuesday night attacked the prison facility in Nigeria's capital city, and SaharaReporters learnt that the facility was ruined by the heavy firepower brought by the assailants. 
Kuje prison was established in 1989, it has minimum and maximum holding cells where inmates are incarcerated.
It is famous for holding high-profile offenders, including former governors and ministers.

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Some Nigerian Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia have lamented the non-provision of accommodation for them since the day they arrived in the Holy land.
According to a video seen by SaharaReporters, the Muslim pilgrims who claimed to be from Kwara State said they have been without accommodation because the stakeholders could not make provisions for them.

One of the women in the video was heard, lamenting, “They didn't give us hotel or any accomodation. We have been sleeping outside."
A relative of one of the victims told SaharaReporters that they had also lodged a complaint with the State Welfare Pilgrims Board concerning the issue.
He said the Kwara State Amir Hajj, Awa Ibrahim, claimed that it was not the responsibility of the state board to make such provision.
"The man told us that accommodation for the pilgrim is the responsibility of the National Hajj Commission,” the relative said.
SaharaReporters gathered that the National Hajj Commission, NAHCON, has announced earlier this year that, “Nigerian pilgrims for 2022 Hajj from Southern Nigeria are to pay N2,496,815.29, while their counterparts from Northern part of the country will pay N2,449,607.89.
“For Adamawa and Borno states, they are to pay N2,408,197.89 due to proximity to Saudi Arabia. The air ticket cost is the major difference in the Hajj fare.”
The NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, had in June in an extraordinary meeting with Chief Executives of Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards in the NAHCON Hajj House headquarters, made the announcement.

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Nigerian citizens in New York, United States, have scolded the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the scarcity of passport booklets in the Nigerian Embassy.
The concerned citizens who wrote to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, stated that Nigerians in diaspora had been facing difficulty in obtaining the country's green card.

A copy of the letter, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York, stated the frustration by Nigerians applying for passports in its missions in the U.S. due to lack of passport booklets.
OAN had on June 29, held a virtual Town Hall meeting to discuss the challenges Nigerians faced in getting their passports and deliberated on ways to address the challenges.
In the letter, jointly signed by Mr Francis James, a board member of the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN, inc) and other leaders of 16 Nigerian associations, they expressed the frustration over what Nigerians went through to get their passports.
The letter reads: "This will enable the Consulate in New York to clear the backlogs at all processing locations and ensure that Passport processing from application to issuance is completed within a reasonable time frame of not more than three months.
“The ministry should expand the number of available appointments on the central portal to at least 100 each day, or to the number each Embassy or Consulate has the capacity to handle.”
The group had convened the meeting based on the information that prior to June 28, passport issuance had stopped for four weeks at the Consulate in New York, according to James, OAN liaison with the Nigeria Consulate in New York.
The meeting agreed that a letter would be written to the Minister of Interior and other key relevant officials to communicate the three-point resolutions from the meeting.
“If this shortage of passport booklets should continue, we are afraid that the safety of the Consulate officials as well as the Nigeria House, New York and other Nigerian Missions in the United States may be in grave danger.
“The recent unwarranted aggression towards our fellow citizens working in our Consulates is not an aberration. It is the product of consistent Consulate’s inability to provide basic consular services to them.” 
In addition, they condemned in strongest term, the needless suffering of Nigerians due to the constant shortage of passport booklets, adding that it was a basic service that any government could effortlessly deliver to her citizens.

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The Nigerian government has been restrained by the United Kingdom High Court of justice from appealing last month’s ruling dismissing a $1.7 billion (£1.4 billion) claim against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in 2011.
The high court said there is “no real prospect” of overturning the ruling, City A.M reports.

The Federal Government, had in June lost its $1.7 billion claim against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in 2011, operated by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.
According to the judgment delivered by the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales Commercial Court, there was no proof that Nigeria was defrauded in the deal.
The Federal Government had sued JP Morgan on the grounds of “Quincecare duty”, alleging that the bank “ought to have known” that there was corruption and fraud in the transaction, which saw Malabu Oil and Gas Limited sell its 100 per cent stake in OPL 245 to Shell and ENI for $1.1 billion.
Nigeria argued that there were enough “red flags” for JP Morgan to have halted the transfers. However, the bank rejected Nigeria’s claims, maintaining that all due processes were followed and money-laundering checks were done, arguing that allegations of fraud only came up after a new government took over in Nigeria.
In the judgment, Sara Cockerill ruled that the Nigerian government could not prove that it was defrauded, saying it might be that, with the benefit of hindsight, “JPMorgan would have done things differently” but “none of these things individually or collectively amount to triggering and then breaching” the bank’s duty of care to its client.
Cockerill said that by the time of the 2013 payments, the bank was “on notice of a risk” of fraud.
“There was a risk – but it was, on the evidence, no more than a possibility based on a slim foundation,” she said.
Shell and ENI had paid $1.3 billion to Nigeria’s account at JP Morgan – $801 million for Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, the original OPL 245 allottees, and $210 million as signature bonus to the Federal Government.
All attempts by Nigeria to prove that there was corruption in the OPL 245 deal have so far proved fruitless. An Italian court in March 2021 dismissed all charges of corruption in the transaction, discharging and acquitting all the defendants, including Shell, ENI and Dan Etete, the promoter of Malabu.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) previously investigated the OPL 245 deal and announced in October 2019 that it was closing the case.

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Abductors of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers have threatened to start killing the hostages as from Wednesday if their demands are not met.
The gunmen issued the threat in an audio that went viral on Tuesday.

Terrorists had on March 28 attacked the train around the Kateri-Rijana area of Kaduna, killing several passengers and abducting many.
The gunmen had used explosives to blow up the train track forcing the train to stop before shooting indiscriminately at the passengers.
In the viral audio, a member of the group was heard threatening to slaughter the victims because the government failed to seek their release.
He, however, did not state what the demands were.
Confirming the authenticity of the audio, a Kaduna State-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who has been an intermediary between the group and the government, said the audio was real and the group had fixed Wednesday (today) to carry out the threat.
“These people became provoked on Monday after giving us another opportunity. I was crying and pleading with them on audio that since there is a delay from the government, why can’t they discuss with the family members directly to negotiate the victims’ release. So based on the plea, they agreed to negotiate directly with the victims’ families,” he told Daily Trust.
“But they said they are giving us till Wednesday that if there is nothing concrete from those that are interested in negotiation, they will start slaughtering some of the victims.”

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Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has rejected the call for him to have one-on-one meeting with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar over the lingering crisis on the choice of running mate.
The PDP has been enmeshed in deep crisis since Atiku picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as running mate for the 2023 general elections.

The crisis has also degenerated to some members of the party calling for the resignation of its National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike, who came second in the party’s primary election, on Tuesday asked Atiku to rather meet with his team for peace talks on the terms proposed to the party, especially as it concerns the resignation of Ayu.
The Nation reports that the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin, had suggested that Atiku should lead a reconciliation team to Wike, but Wike indicated that he would depend on the advisory from the “Strategy Team.”
Also, a BoT member of the party, Waziri Adamu, yesterday suggested that Wike should be appointed as Director-General of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation.
Meanwhile, Wike who has rejected the one-on-one meeting with Atiku cited lack of faith in any personal agreement with Atiku.
A source said, “There is no likelihood of Wike having one-on-one private discussion with Atiku. Shortly after the primary, the governor had a side meeting with Atiku in Abuja and nothing was adhered to.
“He was shocked that Atiku has not told Nigerians what transpired between him and Wike after the primary and how he arrived at Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as a running mate.
“Since there was no full disclosure, Wike has directed that fresh talks with Atiku should be with his strategy team members, who will come up with an advisory for him.”
It was learnt that members of Wike’s strategy team include Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue, ex-governors Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Donald Duke of Cross River State, among others.
The source said that concerning what transpired between Atiku and Wike, “You can also crosscheck what I will tell you from the camp of the ex-VP. Following the euphoria of winning the primary, Atiku visited Wike to seek his support,
“He promised to make him a vice presidential candidate. Wike said he does not want the office, but that Atiku should consider ex-Governor Donald Duke. Atiku and his supporters prevailed on Wike to be his running mate.
“There was much pressure on Wike to agree to the offer. A 17-man committee was also set up by the leadership of the party and 14 of the 17 members recommended Wike as Atiku’s running mate.
“The party leadership later raised a kangaroo committee (with Ayu as a member), which claimed that the party can only recommend three candidates to Atiku to pick. And it was obvious to Wike and his team that there was a predetermined candidate.
“You can see the lines of insincerity and lack of faith in talks. This explains why Wike shut his doors against Atiku.”

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Following the coordinated terrorists’ attacks on the Kuje Correctional Service Centre in Abuja on Tuesday night, the Nigerian government has deployed helicopter to the scene of attack.

SaharaReporters observed that the facility had been condoned off by the security agents drafted to the scene of the incident.

A resident who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday said that a helicopter had been hovering over their houses thereby causing panic in the area as many residents stayed indoors.

It was also gathered that some schools close to the facility were shut for the fear of possible attacks by the rampaging terrorists who may still be within the vicinity.

A prison official who spoke to SaharaReporters on the condition of anonymity said they could not give the number of the officers, inmates and terrorists that were killed in the attack but said he was sure that one the Civil Defence officers attached to the facility was killed.

"I cannot give you the figure of those that were killed yet because we are still taking the record to know how many officers and inmates that died and those that escaped. They released a lot of prisoners because they attack us with bombs,” the official said.
Despite an earlier warning by the country’s intelligence service, the terrorists carried out the attack which led to the release of hardened criminals, including Boko Haram terrorists and other high profile public officers standing trial or already convicted.

It would be recalled that the Department of State Service (DSS) had recently warned of an impending attack on the Kuje prison but the government could not put any measures  in place to forestall the attack.

Meanwhile no terrorists’ group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

  Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

How is it possible that a father of thirty-six children plus one, whose duty it is to defend his home against invaders failed in his primary responsibility and three of his children were forcibly taken away? 
Maybe we should not blame him for the first time lapse. Sometimes it happens that a man could be caught unawares. After all, it is said that to be once bitten is to be twice shy.
But this father, bitten viciously by the misfortune of life was far from being shy. As he was trying to come to grips with the calamity that had befallen him and his large family, the despicable-minded fiends came back, killed an uncle, raped some of the women, kidnapped a nephew and niece and disappeared into the dark place they had come from. 
And it happened a third time! This time, his wife, another son and mother were not spared. They too are also currently in the forest with bandits and terrorists.
Shudder at the thought of what they might be doing to the women and girls in their drug-crazed stupor. Even the men and boys.
They say the father is heartbroken and distraught. He has sworn to deal with the vandals. 

But it hasn't stopped him from going to international conferences, parties, and meetings organized by other fathers and mothers whose families are intact, safe, and protected. 
Some of these other fathers and mothers sympathise with him but do not understand why he always attends all their events and conferences when his house is constantly on fire, under threat, and his people unsafe. 
They know that if they were in the same position as the distraught travelling globetrotter father, they would go nowhere but work day and night to solve their insecurity problems. 
Just recently, forty members of his extended family were murdered in a church on June 5th, Pentecost Sunday in Owo, Osun state. They were despatched to their graves while praying to their God. Since then, the aggrieved father has travelled to two International conferences in Portugal and Rwanda.
And on June 29th, at Shiroro, Niger state, another 40 people under his authority and command as father-in-chief were killed by over 300 bloodthirsty terrorists. 
And just as citizens of the great family of thirty-six plus one were still processing what happened at Shiroro, the 'loving and caring' father was on his way, five days later, to yet another international meeting. And the killed had not yet been buried not to talk of bringing the killers to justice. What did the father say about the massacre? 
- what he always says when his people are killed or kidnapped:
"We will deal ruthlessly with these killers"
And then he gets into his plane which his family of thirty-six children plus one, bought for him, and goes for another meeting.
Until another atrocity occurs!
Can someone close to him not have the balls to tell him that no responsible father can fail so spectacularly and yet be so impervious to his failures, or act with so much aloofness to the chaos and anarchy wrought by his fatherly failures? 
Can nobody close to him summon up the courage to tell him that his family is bleeding badly and falling apart? 
Should those who truly love him not be able to tell him that the volcano that has been active for so long is about to erupt, spewing destructive ash and larva all over the homestead. It will surely consume all of us if the madness continues.
North East, North West, North Central, South East, South West, South South, it is the story of thirty-six children plus one, in agony, turmoil, pain, terror, and losses of unimaginable proportion. 
Our brothers, sisters, aunties, and children, are dying everywhere and every day and there is no sign that it will stop. Do people think that death is the only problem?
No! 
The family of thirty-six, plus one is losing territories under our father who is also an army general that the bandits and terrorists, and unknown gunmen do not fear. 
Who will protect the people, our people? The warriors? 
They too need protection. 
But what has happened to the 'mighty' warriors that went into Liberia and Sierra Leone under ECOMOG to liberate members of our West African family. Do you mean that they could defend others but not ourselves? 
You see, charity does not always begin at home. 
But people are saying that the spirits of our warriors are still strong, their resolve implacable. 
They say that it is just the system headed by a prodigal father that is failing them and the entire family of thirty-six, plus one.
In a strange twist, people are saying that since the father cannot defend them, let them defend themselves, even under government supervision. The father has said a bloody NO! 
You see, we will all just sit back and die on our beds when the hellish invaders come calling.
Because they will! They are growing in strength and numbers, and temerity, arrogance, and perfidy.  
What kind of father is this?
His divisions, parochialism, incompetence, inactivity, affiliations, alignments, and lack of empathy are a danger to us all. 
This father just has to go. 
Sooner than later.
Hopefully, by 2023.

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Achike Chude Disable advertisements : 

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) is set to arraign the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick, and the 2nd Vice President of the football body, Shehu Dikko in court over alleged corrupt practices.
According to top sources, the ICPC has obtained the approval of the Presidency, after embarking on intensive investigations and it is now set to drag the duo to court over alleged corruption charges even as Pinnick plans to run for a 3rd term as the NFF President.

Five other chieftains of the football body have various cases to answer following the recent development on various malpractices in the running of football in the country, a source said.
“It has been established that NFF President, his second Vice President, Dikko, and five other top NFF officials have a case to answer after weeks of investigations by the ICPC.
“This followed extensive investigations by the anti-corruption agency. The legal department of the ICPC is concluding plans to put up charges against Pinnick and other officials for them to face trial as soon as possible,” the source told The Nation.
Although the offences of the football chiefs were not spelt out, it is believed that the ICPC is keeping this for strategic reasons.
However, another source from the ministry, speaking with The Nation, said, “The football chieftains receive money appropriated to Nigeria Football Association and spend as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but turn around to say “interference” when they owe their existence and recognition because Government turns a blind eye to their illegal status and they still don’t want to obey the laws of the land.”

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I've never been a bandwagon voter since I started voting in 1983. So I don't vote based on whether my candidate will win or lose, even though I want them to win but not at all cost and by all criminal ways necessary. No, I was not brought up that way nor did I bring myself up like that.
I vote based on the integrity, credibility, good programme, ideology & principles of my candidates. For instance, I voted for Obafemi Awolowo and Gani Fawehinmi for president and I have never collected a kobo to vote or helped to distribute money or foodstuffs to voters as vote-buying and inducement because I am not a criminal like those who always breach this electoral rule and their conscience despite their 'kurukere kurukere' to prayer centres, Mecca and Jerusalem as faithful.

Can you say this of yourself? Then if you can't beat your chest that you have never collected money, distributed food and materials as inducement for votes or been a vote retailer/wholesaler, just know that you are a criminal dangerous to Nigeria's democracy and good governance. You don't need a court of law to convict you for that.
You share in the sin and crime of bad governance, corruption and political banditry with all these rogue politicians holding the country to ransom and messing up the nation and citizens' lives. You are cursed.
I won't collect money to vote or to help buy votes in any election. Can you say that of yourself before you start condemning bad governance and praying for good government?
Let your conscience prick you, at least for once. Rogue leaders and their rogue supporters and enablers don't and can't build a nation; they build a jungle of criminals, mass impoverished people and unleash bad governance and terror...  Stop it. 

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Adeola Soetan Disable advertisements : 

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on Wednesday confirmed that gunmen attacked the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja with explosives on Tuesday night.
The NCoS Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Abubakar Umar, confirmed the attack, adding that the security operatives were trying to salvage the situation.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the gunmen suspected to be terrorists carried out an attack on Kuje correctional facility around 10pm during which hundreds of inmates escaped.
“Can you hear the gunshot, we are under serious attack,” one of the sources said.
Meanwhile, the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Umar, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said, “I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.
“However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.
“Other details will be made available soon.”
Most of the 700 inmates at the Kuje correctional facility in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory escaped, SaharaReporters had learnt.
"Most of the inmates have escaped from the facility; it is sad. It houses over 700 inmates," a source said.
Kuje prison was established in 1989, it has minimum and maximum holding cells where inmates are incarcerated.
It is famous for holding high-profile offenders, including former governors and ministers.

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

A couple, Chukwudi Micheal and Bolani Micheal, have been inconsolable after losing four children to a fire that gutted their two-room apartment on Tapa Road, Oke-Oko, Isawo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
According to PUNCH, the incident occurred around 1pm on Sunday, June 26, as one of the children, Jeremiah, 12, died on the spot.

The three other siblings: Prayer, 18; Trust in God, 14; and Ebube, 10, sustained severe burns and were rushed to a hospital, where they died a few days later.
The husband and wife had slept in a separate room with their eight-year-old surviving daughter, Esther.
The fire was said to have engulfed the room where the four boys slept.
The victims’ father, Chukwudi, said he woke up to the scream of one of his children, who was calling for help.
He said, “After waking up, I alerted neighbours who helped me to break the windows of the boys because their door was locked. We were able to rescue three of the boys from the fire, but one had already been burnt to death. We rushed them immediately to a hospital with the help of a neighbour’s car, but we eventually lost them.”
The 46-year-old noted that men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service only came in the morning when the fire had been put out by neighbours.
However, the Public Education Officer of the state fire service, Amodu Shakiru, stated that the fire was put out by firefighters, adding that five persons were rescued.
He said, “We rescued five persons and recovered the burnt body of a teenager.”
The couple noted that they were oblivious to how the fire started as anything that could start the fire had been put off.
Both the husband and wife also sustained varying degrees of burns, which they were treating at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
A pastor with Covenant Light Church, Ikorodu, where the couple and their children worshipped, Ayoshanu Samuel, said the victims had been buried.
He said the incident was reported at the Owutu Police Station.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.
He said, “Yes, it happened. The incident is still under investigation.”

Accident News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, new York Disable advertisements : 

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo, is dead.
Barkindo died on Tuesday night at 63.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, announced Barkindo’s death in a tweet in the early hours of Wednesday.

Kyari said the former NNPC GMD died at about 11pm on Tuesday, describing his demise as a great loss to his family, NNPC Nigeria, OPEC and the global energy community.
He wrote, “We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11 pm yesterday 5th July 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community.
“Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.”
Earlier on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari had described the outgoing OPEC Secretary General as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria when he received him in at State House in Abuja.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said posterity would remember Barkindo kindly for making the nation and himself proud during his six years of meritorious service at the helm of affairs as the 4th OPEC Secretary-General from Nigeria.
The statement reads, “You have indeed been a worthy ambassador of our country. We are proud of your achievements before and during your appointment at OPEC and the proud legacies you will leave behind.
“Your time in charge of the affairs of OPEC has been a very challenging one for the global oil industry. Oil producers were finding it difficult to come together to address challenges that were crippling the oil market.
“Not long after, the world was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic that sent crude prices spiralling down at an alarming rate. You showed incredible leadership to rally industry players and pushed through the turbulent times.
“There is no doubt about your efforts in putting together the Declaration of Cooperation which is the largest in the history of OPEC and the global oil industry and also the longest in duration in the history of the organization. This was a herculean task.”

  Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, new York Disable advertisements : 

Most of the 700 inmates at the Kuje correctional facility in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory have escaped, SaharaReporters has learnt. 

SaharaReporters also learnt that other inmates have been removed from the facility including the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, who was remanded at the prison by a Federal High Court.

Kyari is standing trial for allegedly dealing in cocaine alongside four members of his former police unit, the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), and two other persons arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, in January this year. 

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists on Tuesday night attacked the prison facility in Nigeria's capital city, and SaharaReporters learnt that the facility was ruined by the heavy firepower brought by the assailants. 

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that the gunmen invaded the facility around 10 pm. See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Terrorists Currently Attacking Kuje Prison In Abuja 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

Details about the casualties suffered in the attack were still sketchy at the time of filing this report, but one of SaharaReporters' inside sources said many inmates were able to escape. 

"The place was completely ruined and all the inmates have left the facility for now, including Abba Kyari," one of SaharaReporters' inside sources said. 

"Most of the inmates have escaped from the facility; it is sad. It houses over 700 inmates," another source said. 

Earlier, while the attack was going on, one of our sources had said, “Can you hear the gunshot, we are under serious attack."

Kuje prison was established in 1989, it has minimum and maximum holding cells where inmates are incarcerated.

It is famous for holding high-profile offenders, including former governors and ministers.

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Armed bandits are currently attacking Jangebe, in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

SaharaReporters gathered that the heavily armed bandits came into the village on Tuesday evening, shooting indiscriminately.

“Bandits attack Jangebe, Mafara shooting sporadically into the community this night,” Yusuf Anka, a journalist posted on Twitter.

On February 26, 2021, bandits attacked Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe and kidnapped hundreds of students.

They were, however, released a few days later.

Deadly attacks have raged across Zamfara state where banditry has thrived.

Agrarian communities in the state have long been terrorised by gangs who raid villages, steal cattle and kidnap residents for ransom.

In 2019, the state government signed a peace agreement with the gunmen.

About 15 brand new Hilux vehicles and cash gifts were also given to leaders of different 'repentant' gangs of bandits by the governor in 2020.

But despite all these, communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and/or killed.
 

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The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Doyin Okupe has said that discussions about an alliance between the party and the New Nigeria Political Party (NNPP) are dead.

There had been pressure on the NNPP and the Labour Party to work together to produce a presidential candidate between them for the 2023 presidential election. The NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso and his counterpart in the Labour Party, Peter Obi earlier admitted that the parties were holding talks to have an alliance between the parties, but the bone of contention was that the two candidates wanted to be the presidential candidate in the arrangement.

However, in an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday, monitored by SaharaReporters, Okupe said Kwankwaso had been benefiting from the popularity of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi on social media.

According to him, the discussion of the parties to have an alliance has been dead for more than four weeks.

“That discussion or those discussions about a merger, alliance and all that was led by me from our side is dead and buried, finished, not Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party and its presidential candidate have long since withdrawn from that conversation. It was NNPP that tried to benefit from the attraction of the popularity of Obi.

“I’m now an elder statesman and out of maturity, I decided that we will not take them on media-wise so we kept quiet but they kept going on; the talk about the alliance had been dead for over four weeks, I’m telling you, I am the leader of the team,” Okupe said.

He said the merger talks died the moment Kwankwaso’s representatives said there was nothing wrong with a northerner being President again after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, who’s also a northern Muslim like Kwankwaso.

By 2023, Buhari would have spent eight years in power as a democratic leader since his election in 2015.

He said, “I went to discuss with Kwankwaso, it was dead we were deadlock, the moment I asked them one single question, I said is it fair, would you consider it appropriate and okay for a northern president and a president of northern extraction and a Muslim to finish eight years and another Muslim northerner from the next state in the same zone takes over from him, and the three of them unanimously said there’s nothing wrong with it.

“As far as I’m concerned, this discussion is over and it has remained over since then but we did not come to media because I respected those who we were discussing with. I never said anything, have never mentioned anything but this is the first time I’m publicly commenting on the matter and it’s because they have thrown it into the winds.”

Okupe described Kwankwaso as electorally restricted to Kano and belonging to an older generation of politicians, who are narrow-minded.

He said, “I also heard Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso saying people in the north will not vote for an Igbo man. Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso from that statement manifestly shows that the country which is being led by the youthful population has left him behind, he belongs to my generation of politicians and we have a very narrow vision.

“For a leader like Kwankwaso to come to national television and play a very dangerous negative ethnic card, talking about some people, northerners will not vote for an Igbo person and Kwankwaso is always in the habit of whenever he’s talking, it is always about the north. This is a man that is electorally restricted to Kano and that’s the problem; he’s judging everybody else in the north with the prism of what he sees in Kwankwasian movement in Kano, that’s all.”

According to Okupe, Kwankwaso is trying to give the impression that northerners do not understand politics nor have a mind of their own, which the Labour Party chieftain described as untrue.

He further stated that anybody that underestimates Peter Obi will have themselves to blame as the Obidient Movement has moved beyond just posting his posters or painting his pictures in front of houses.

Expressing confidence in the chances of Labour Party and Peter Obi in the next presidential election, Okupe said Obi is going to take most of the votes from the southeastern part of the country, 45 percent votes from the southwest and get 25 percent votes at least 24 states in the country.

He said, “I can tell you for free and I mean it and I’m not being frivolous that if a million votes come from the southeast, Peter Obi will take 850,000; I’m telling you for a fact. Moving to the southwest, I just told you I’m coming from home (Iperu). In the southwest the avalanche of movement, persons and groups that are saying Dr. Doyin, we are with you and we are behind you, there’s no way Peter Obi will score less than 40-45% of total votes cast in the southwest.

“Peter Obi will win in nearly 50 percent of the states in the country and get 25% in more than 24 states in the country.”

“I’m the first to admit that his penetration is convincing in the south but not yet so in the north, I will put penetration of the Obidient movement in the north to about 15-20% but from next week, when we announce the real Vice President, who’s a northerner, he’s going to be an arrowhead of rooting the north,” he added.

Okupe, whose name was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is a placeholder as the party still intends to announce a northerner as the eventual running mate to Peter Obi.

According to Okupe, the eventual running mate to Obi will be announced this week.  

He said Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed was among the candidates being considered for the position.

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The has said Nigerian citizens would not be thinking of selling their organs to make a living if their leaders had not misappropriated the national wealth of the country.

This group said this in a statement signed by the Global Director Mobilisation (TIB), Mr Gbola Owoborode, noting that Nigerian leaders have for decades siphoned all the resources that should serve the interests of every citizen.

The group also added that if the government had invested in the country's health sector, there would not be any need for citizens to travel overseas to seek medical attention.

The statement reads: "We at Take It Back UK (TIB UK) will not fold our hands and remain silent while those, who over the many decades have been entrusted to serve, have misappropriated the funds meant to maintain the basic Social Services for the Citizens.

"Our Ruining Classes have over the many decades, looted, diverted, stolen, pocketed, every resource that should be for the benefit of Citizens.

"The Citizens are left without functioning security services, 24-hour electricity, quality education, affordable health care, clean pipe-borne water, adequate public transport, food insecurity, unmotorable roads, etc.

"In fact, the Citizens have been robbed of every basic service that a naturally well-resourced land, such as ours should have.

"If over the many decades the Ruining Class had invested a reasonable amount of the proceeds of our enormous natural resources, into the basic educational system, children would not be so poor and without hope, to even contemplate selling their organs for any amount of money, or for the promise of a better life abroad.

"As you may well be aware, a sitting senator (former deputy Senate President) and his wife are languishing in a London prison, charged with conspiracy to harvest the organs of a homeless Lagos teenager.

"Have the Ruining Classes’ contempt for the citizen really come to this?

"If over the many decades, our resources had been used to improve and maintain our health care system, a state hospital would be able to carry out the vast majority of operations on its Citizens.

"Instead, our land is now attracting the unfortunate tag of being the poverty capital, whilst enormous deposits of all the world’s most valuable natural resources are being extracted from our lands on a daily basis.

"The likes of Shell, Exxon and Mobil who have been in Nigeria for at least the last 50 years are very busy making billions for themselves and our greedy Ruining Classes, whilst the so-called, ‘free world’ casually turn a blind eye.

"We are totally disappointed and saddened that those that should condemn such odious Inhumane actions gather to show solidarity. Instead of hiding from the international shame, embarrassment and ridicule their fellow Ruining Class member has covered us all.”

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An Assistant Commissioner of Police and Area Commander for Dutsinma, Katsina State, ACP Aminu Umar and one other officer were killed by Islamic terrorists on Tuesday.
The officers were reported to have been killed in an ambush by the terrorists in the Safana Local Government Area of the state.

The police command in the state has confirmed their killings.
The command's spokesman, SP Gambo Isah while confirming the incident in a statement, said over 300 terrorists who rode on motorcycles killed the duo in a crossfire.
The statement partly read, "Today (Tuesday) 06, July, 2022 at about 11.30 a.m, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over three hundred (300), on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsinma and team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina state. 
"Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during a cross-exchange of gunfire.
"The Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, psc +, fdc, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command expresses his deep sympathy to the family of the deceased and prays to almighty Allah to repose their souls in Jannatul Firdausi. 
"He reaffirms the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state until it is completely routed out, please."
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters gathered that the remains of the Area Commander would be buried according to Islamic rites on Wednesday.
 

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Kuje Prison

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists are currently attacking the Kuje correctional facility in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that the gunmen invaded the facility around 10 pm but security operatives were able to repel the attack.

Kuje Prison

“Can you hear the gunshot, we are under serious attack,” one of the sources said.

Kuje prison was established in 1989, it has a minimum and maximum holding cells where inmates are incarcerated.

It is famous for holding high-profile offenders, including former governors and ministers.
 

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